What you do

This is a bit of a random post, but I had the thought and wanted to share. What you do, depends on your taste, demand, skills and possibly budget.

TASTE
You make what you like. Because you should do this work because it's your passion. Of course there are always a few commissions that won't get you excited, but the main focus should be things be which you also want to hang, wear, see on a sticker, and so on. If not, then I guess you're doing something wrong.

Your taste is how you develop your style. This is what you show to the outside world and also attract. I work in a very illustrative style (also in my graphic work), so customers who are looking for something like that, often end up at my website. There are always client who want something else and think that because you are creative, you can do that, but they are the exception to the rule.

DEMAND
You can create the most amazing works of art, but if no one wants them, you'll have to do something else. For this, I'm assuming this is your (parttime) work, if not, I would say: do whatever you want!

I also mean special occasions and holidays. There's no use designing Easter cards in December. It's fun, but by the time people want to send the cards, they've already forgotten that you have them too. I'm excluding working ahead. Some people are already working on christmas cards in March, but that's common for large companies.

SKILLS
This clashes sometimes, at least with me. I don't have a specific taste and can appreciate a lot of things. I come up with anything and everything, but can't always execute them. For example, I love the style of the cards of Kaartje of Kip, but I can not do that (probably one of the reasons I like it so much, I'm jealous). Or typography, I love it, but don't really a feeling for it. At least, not to make complete artworks with it anyway.

BUDGET
Think of a goldsmith or something like that. You might really talented and/or have a great passion for it, but (not unimportant) you also have to have money for it.